One/Day Project

The One/Day Project ran for one decade from Friday, February 29th, 2008 through Wednesday, February 28th, 2018. These galleries contain 3653 photos, each one uniquely captured on that day.

I used DSLR, compact, and iPhone cameras to capture these images. Nearly all have been edited in some way, typically in Lightroom, before being shared online. Many are scenes I happened upon in my day-to-day life and travels, others were staged at my house, and some are abstract Photoshop creations loosely based on an original image.

A “365 project” is somewhat common, as so many of us have access to high quality digital cameras and a wealth of ways to share them. I hope my project is unique in it’s completeness and variety. Although I could have continued, I feel the act of daily photography has been taken as far as it can go. Continuing beyond 10 years would not result in significant improvement, while being just as much of a time commitment. All projects must come to an end, and I wanted to do it on my terms without sacrificing my vision.

What is my vision? I suppose it’s like photography itself - a blend of art and technology. I want to capture things that catch my eye in a unique way, to find a composition that no one has considered, and to do that day after day, always striving for improvement. Along the way, I need to master the equipment, lighting, and editing. When it all works, I have an image that is technically sound, looks good at all sizes, has a story, and is compelling to me.

The truly compelling photos are uncommon, but by taking photos every day, you start to learn what is actually good. I did this by exploring the world around me and experimenting with ways of capturing the otherwise mundane. With this experience, I’ve learned what kind of scenes are worth working on, and when to walk away. True creativity comes in waves and at unexpected times, so improvement is not seen day-to-day, or photo-to-photo, but is rather obvious over the years.

The longevity of the project has given me a photographic memory of sorts. There have been moves, weddings, national parks, overseas trips, births, and deaths. While my goal was art-worthy photographs that stand on their own, I cannot separate the image from the context or emotion behind them. As a personal project it’s just as well, but as time goes on, I wonder if I recollect certain places and events better because of a photograph, or if the photograph becomes the memory.

I sincerely hope you enjoy looking through these galleries. If nothing else, I hope to inspire people to see the everyday beauty and intricacies around them.